Cabinet and machine support



H. K. ULLMAN CABINET AND MACHNE SUPPORT I J'ne 4,l 1946.

i5 lSheets-Sheet I Filed March 8, 1944 Y June-4,1946. y, H. K, ULLMAN y CABINET AND MACHINE SUPPORT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil'ed M arch 8, 1944 gmc/who@ i Y Hinwil @M Q fla/mu June 4, 1946. H. K. ULLMAN 2,401,526

CABINET AND MACHINE SUPPORT Filed' March s, 1944 s sheets-sheet 5 A $2/ /f// I l 35 37;- t a fred l 3.2/ 362/ l v 1 I xl N Z... o o :SI5

W www Patented June 4, 1946 t r UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE CABINET AND MACHINE SUPPORT Henry K. Ullman, Washington, D. C. Application March 8, 1944, Serial No. 525,589

4 Claims.

l This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to a combined cabinet and machine support. Y

Some machines, particularly typewriters, are used not only in business establishments but as well at home. The efficient operation of these machines, regardless of where they are used, requires a rigid support spaced from the floor about 26inches. In offices and factories the provision of such `a support is of no consequence since furniture `specifically designed for the purpose is ordinarily employed and the appearance of such furniture is secondary to adequate performance of its utilitarian functions. The provision of typewriter supports for home use, however, is much more dicult since considerations of space and aesthetics preclude the adoption of furniture specifically designed wholly for supporting typewriters in their position of use. This being the case, attempts have been made to design articles of furniture in which the typewriter may be covered when not in use and yet rendered readily accessible when need arises. `In general such articles of furniture are either satisfactory from the point of View of appearance while failing to meet some of the supporting requirements of the machine or else are satisfactory machine supports lacking the attributes of good appearance normally required in home furniture.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the foregoing diiculties and to provide a combined cabinet and typewriter support in which the typewriter is rigidly held4 at the optimum operating level for silent operation and yetl is foldable to a position enclosed within a cabinet of unusually ne appearance.

It is contemplated according to the present invention that a supporting cabinet be provided, the top of which is free of cracks and interruptions of a type tending to mar its appearance 'and an article of home furniture.

`It is a further object of this invention to provide` a'combined cabinet and machine support in which the cabinet is capable of performing, in a superiorman'ner, a function secondary tosupporting the machine.

`Other objects and advantages of' this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description of several embodiments thereof in conjunction with' the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a lperspective view of one type of cabinet constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;V

AFigure 2 is aQview in vertical section of the cab- Figure is a view similar to Figure 5 but :illustrating the position of the typewriter support when the cabinet cover is raised;

VFigure 7 isa top plan view of the cabinet of Figure 4 withthe cover in raised position, illustrating in broken lines the manner of movement of the typewriter support brace; i

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of the cabinet of 'Figure 4, the cover being in the Figure 6 position; Y Y y Figure 9 is a viewin horizontal section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a view in vertical section of a modified cabinet cover and typewriter support analogous to the form illustrated lin-Figures 4 9, inelusive.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1-3, inclusive, thereof, the cabinet illustrated consists of side walls IU and Il and rear wall I2 which arefastened together by dove tail joints, or otherwise, in accordance with conventitonal cabinet making practice. Side wills I0 and II are cut outnear their respective bottom edges to define feet I3 and I4. Just above these feet, side walls I0 and Il are each provided with a supporting brace I5 extending from front to rear in a horizontal plane. These braces serve to support a dust-proof bottom for the cabinet. The dust-proof bottom is comprised of a narrow stationary portion 4IT afxed to and extending between brace I5 with its rear edge abutting wall I2 and a Wide movable portion I3 hinged at I9 to portion I'I. In one position Wide portion I8 rests by gravity against bracesIS.` When the cabinet is `to be used as a typewriter table, however, the feet of the opera` tor should rest on the oor directly beneath the space occupied by Wide portion I8. So that this may be done,.wide portion I8 may be swung to the Figure 2 position by simple pivotal movement about hinge I9. When the typewriter is not in use Wide portion I8 may complete the dustproof bottom in its normal or Figure 3 position.

The front wall ofthe cabinet is made up of a pair of Ahinged doors 2l and 22which extend 3 upwardly from a point below braces I5. Cumulatively doors 2| and 22 are of a width commensurate with that of rear wall I2. Each door is provided with a handle of Conventional form and may include a latching structure of the type commonly used in phonographs. Above the top edge of doors 2| and 22 is a countersunk brace 23 pivctally attached to side wall I by hinge 24. Brace 23, in its normal positionlies iiush with the-front edges of `side walls" I1)y and It may, however,

be swung outwardly about hinge 24 as a point of pivot for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully A latch structure of conventional described.

design may serve to hold brace 23.ir1itsnorn-ial.V

position. It can now be seen that thehinged brace 23 is movable entirely independe'mtlyV of' 25de closed. In this condition the article of furhinged doors 2| and 22 so that. thev latter may bei in open position as shown in Figure 1 while the former is in its closed position, also as illustrated in that figure.

The;l cabinet isl provided with acover: hinged` This cover may'movetd at 26 to rear wall I2. and.l from lfraiseduposition as indicatedVA- in Figures 2.l.and..l Ai latch. brace 21: of i conventionaldesign serves to hold cover 25 rigidly-in-itsopen position against Va'ccid'enta1 displacement.- When itV is closed,4 the;` top'. 25 of; thecabinet presents a-n uninterrupted Surface tree'of47 crackslorhingestend'- ingv to` mar its aesthetic appeal" as an object of furniture. However, when the cover-is raised the cabinet.y becomes; a typewriterv table 'capablelof supporting atypewriter rigidly-anda-t the proper level for silent and efcient'operationz This-'latter advantage is attainable because-'of the provision ofi` al secondary cover and typewriter' support p designatedl respectively' by numeralsv 23- and 29.

Secondary cover Z3Y is`fa flat board-likemember of a Width toy make-a close sliding# tbetween space between rear Wall I2 and hinged brace 23. Secondary coverV 28- isV permanently attached to typewriter support 23- dening therewith a 90 angle. Auxiliarysupports-erbracesmay serve to'reinforce-thisconnection).v Auxiliary cover 28 andi typewriter support 29; as a unit, are hinged to rear wall I2 at several points by hinges4 3|- When cover- 25` is--closed, and auxiliary cover 23 isdn-thefFigure 3L position,r said auxiliaryv covery deiineswitnA cover r26" a space which` may be usedA asa-slielf'forlthe reception of some objectl such asfatelephone boolr. When; however, the-'unitary'A construction consisting" cf'auX-iliary cover- 28 and" typewriter support 29 isfswungfgt in` aclockwise direction, asV viewed in- Figure 3; typewriter support 29\ movesVi-nto a planel'parallel tol the plane previously occupiedl by auxiliaryv cover' 28 but spaced from; that planea distance equal to the thickness of the material of auxiliary cover' 28. VOf course this simple- 90' movement would' not of itselfI render-member 29 a` typewriter-sup;- por-t, since meansI arel requiredO forholdingthat element -i'n the position to which itis moved. To

greaterthan that of auxiliary cover2-8 to an ex tentequaly to-q the-thickness ofJ hinged` brace 23;

In vvrvaccomplishing-the 90 movement' of member 29,- brace-23 is swung"outwar'clly'and'I then, when" lmember 29- is in a horizontal position', it' is rer--V stored to itsnormal position which will bejdirectly, underlying thefront edge of the` typewriter sup l port' 239, seeFigure 2; j

tthe same time4 doors 2| and 22Lare4 opened and; wideY bottom portion I8 is moved, to the Fig,-

urej'Z, position'. TheV entire cabinet istherefore in Figure 2 position and the typewriter may be niture is suitable for use as a telephone table or thelike.u K

, Now. referring., to the modified form of the in- 'vention vshown in Figures 4-9, inclusive, a cabinet is thereprovid'edz consisting of side walls 3| and 32, rearV wall 33 and front doors 34 and 35. The rear and side walls are similar in construction to those described in connection with Figures, 1,-3, inclusive. Front door-`34 isJ hinged'v to' front edge ofsidewall 3-| whilefront door 35isfsimllarly hinged to the front edge of side wall 32"'. The doorsY may'be swung toand fromy closed` position as indicated in Figure 7i Bra-ces- 31.5L similar to brace t5 of Figures 1-3l, inclusive, are` attached to side walls- 3| andi'32'V near the lower edges;

Thesebracesserve-"to support a dustproof bottom 31 which in this instance-is acontinuousmember' connected by hinges SSL to' rear` wall 33;. y member in its normai position li'es asin'dicated in Figure 5 resting upon braces 36;' Whenthe cabinet is to be-usedg as a typewriter table ,member'j 31 is swung in ai clockwise direction; asvi'evvediin`4 Figure 6 to a position nearlyJ vertical" withv its iront end resting-against rearwall 33;

A brace't, countersunk'insidewalls/1|I-Y and 32, 'l provided fcrperforming, in thismodil'l'cati'on'di?,v

the invention, the function of'brace 2'3. Brace' 33- isconnected by hinge 43 to` side' wall Stand latch 4| may'serve to detachably'ccnn'ect its' other endv to end wall 32; isindicated in broken lines in Figure' '7' andcorresponds to the movement of brace 23T herein? before described.,

The typewriter support. consists ofa; Hat4 rec-` tangular member 42 rigidlyV connected to d ene.. with' cabinet cover 43' a rightl angle;,rig id1brace. members 44 reinforcing the, connection. The typewriter is affixed to thetopsurfacofsupport.' 42 asindicated in broken lines'` inv Figures' andv At the point oi-` connection of" support 42, and'. covei` 43 the unitary elements are cionnectedlby. hinge 45 to the top edge ofjrear wal l'33,;the` hinge being so" disposed as to permit clockwise mOi/Te,-

ment from the Figure to theFigurepositions. Becausev of' the' disposition o f E hinge 45,', support,

42 in the Figure 6 position will' occupy exactly.

the same planev as that'occupie'd by coverylin the Figure 5 position: The front1,ed'ges.of parts; 42 and 43 lie an equal distance from. hinge. 45.

Note; however,` byreference to .Figure ."ifptliat covle'r.

43'is of a width greater than the distancebfetween, side' walls" 3 and `3 ZWhil'e, Support ,411s l`ofaawidtlz..I to be received between them with1suilzent.el"ear,-

ancefor free movement.

When itv is desredji tio convert the' article, of, furniture shown in Figures. 4; and' to.a typeg. writer table as indicated. inFigure 6" it isne'cesl sary to grasp the front edge ofcover 4J3`,\th1-- after opening doors 34, and, 3.5,. While swinging brace 39' to an openv position out. of, thepatltoi. movement of'support 422 'Ilere-afterr cover, 4211s-1 Vpivoted in aclockwise, direction asffviewedin Figures 5 and GWhereupon brace 39 is restored The movement of brace 3.9.' l

to the closed or Figure 4 position. In this position it underlies the bottom of support 42 and affords rigid reinforcement for the typewriter table. It is now necessary only to raise dust-proof bottom 31 to the Figure 6 position whereupon the conversion is complete. In restoring the article of furniture from the Figure 6 to the Figure 5 position the foregoing steps are reversed beginning with lowering dust-proof bottom 31. Thereafter support `39 is moved out of supporting position and cover 39 is restored to normal position and the doors are closed.

While in an article of furniture it is normally desirable to prevent cracks in the top cover, it is possible to modify the construction of Figures 4-9, inclusive, by the use of a piano hinge 50 as indicated in Figure 10. In this instance the cover is made of two parts 5I and 52 connected together by a piano hinge 53. Part 52 is permanently affixed to the top edge of rear wall 54 of the cabinet. Part 5I rests on the side walls of the cabinet and on hinged brace 55 but is connected to the remainder of the structure only through hinge 53. Brace 55 functions exactly as braces 23 and 39 previously described. Part 5| of the cover is connected by a rigid brace 56 to typewriter support 51. In swinging typewriter support 51 to operative position brace 55 is swung outwardly and cover 55 is moved 90 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 10. This places support 51 in the plane previously occupied by cover 5| whereupon brace 55 may be swung to normal position and the typewriter is ready for use.

Although in the specication and the accompanying drawings there is shown and described a preferred embodimentof this invention and various modifications thereof, and although various alternatives are suggested, these are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but, on the contrary, are given for the purpose of illustrating it and instructing others in the principles thereof as well as the best practical manner of utilizing the invention in order that others may be enabled to modify it and apply it in numerous forms each as may be best suited as to conditions and requirements in any particular instance.

I claim:

1. In a combination cabinet and machine support said cabinet having a rear wall and side walls, a machine supporting element -hinged rearwardly of the cabinet for rocking movement same width but saidelement being of greater length from front to rear, and a brace for said element countersunk in the side walls to lie in the plane of the cabinet front with its upper edge ush with the upper surface of said member when the element is in depending position, hinge means connecting said brace to a side wall of the cabinet for movement out of the path of movement of said element whereby the latter may be moved to horizontal position with its front edge resting on said brace for support.

2. In a combination cabinet and machine support as claimed in claim 1, a secondary coverhinged to the top of the rear wall of the cabinet, said element being hinged to the rear wall of the cabinet at a point spaced below said secondary cover whereby a storage space is defined between said member and said secondary cover when said element is in depending position and said cover is closed.

3. In a combination cabinetand machine support, said cabinet having a rear wall and side walls, a machinesupporting element hinged rearwardly of the cabinet for rocking movement from a depending storage position to a horizontal operative position, and a brace for said element movable from a normal bracing position within the path of movement of said element to a position wholly without said path, said brace normally lying in the plane of the cabinet front, being countersunk in its side walls and being hinged to one of them, hinged front doors underlying said brace and movable to an open position to afford leg room for an operator seated :at the machine.

4. In a combination cabinet and machine support, said cabinet having a rear wall and side walls, a machine supporting element hinged rearwardly of the cabinet for rocking movement from a depending storage position to a horizontal operative position, and a brace for said element movable from a normal bracing position within the path of movement of said element to a position wholly without` said path, said brace normally lying in the plane of the cabinet front, being countersunk in its side walls and being hinged to one of them, a bottom closure hinged near the bottom of the rear wall of the cabinet and movable from a lower position in which it forms a closure for the bottom of the cabinet to an upper position adjacent the rear wall of thel cabinet to afford foot space therebelow and hinged front doors underlying said brace, said doors being movable to an open position to afford leg room for an operator seated at the machine.

HENRY K. ULLMAN. 

